When Jon Whyte decided it was time to build a hardtail in 2006, you just knew it was going to be something extraordinary and for 2007 he's taken things a stage further.
The 19 is a hardtail that is as versatile as a hardtail can be. Single speed? Yep, if you want. Gears? No problem. Short chainstays for techincal riding? Umm Ok then. Longer wheelbase for covering the miles? That's fine too. What makes the 19 special is its custom designed replaceable dropouts that cater for every mood. So whatever your riding style, the 19 should have it covered.
For 2007 the range has been expanded to three models, the Trail, the Race and the Works, each tailored to a specific activity.
The 19 Race comes with carbon rear seatstays for a fantastic compliant ride and two no-cost fork options, either the SC-32 with 80-125mm of adjustable travel from the engineering masters at Maverick, or a Rock Shox Reba World Cup with 100mm of travel and Pop-Loc.
This makes the 19 Race the perfect bike for, well, whatever you want really. It's just as capable as a racer or as an all-round trail machine with an eclectic mix of components that includes SRAM X-0 shifters, X-0 carbon rear derailleur and FSA Team Issue MegaExo carbon chainset.
The tough wheelset consists of Hope Pro disc hubs, Mavic XM-717 rims and DT Competition butted spokes controlled by Avid Juicy Ultimate hydraulic disc brakes.
Finishing kit includes a carbon Easton EC70 seatpost, Monkeylite bars and Thomson stem together with a Fizik Gobi saddle with Titanium rails for comfort. It all adds up to just 22.5lbs of versatile bike.
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